Stephen Kotkin

So of course they know that they can't do what he does.

And if they tried to unseat him, they might save their lives, but they might lose the system and the radiant future, the overthrow of capitalism, the abundance, peace, paradise on earth.

That's a big move to lose if you believe in that, if your life is about that and you're dedicated to that.

But in addition, you have a collective action problem that's really important.

So let's suppose that I'm in a Stalin regime with you.

You're a functionary and I'm a functionary.

And Stalin's collectivizing agriculture, which means he's destroying the productivity.

And we're going to be poor all the way through the Brezhnev period.

We're going to be importing wheat, even though we have this gigantic agricultural belt, wheat belt.

Some people knew in real time that this was self-harm.

Yeah.

And I come to you and I say, this Stalin guy, he's wrecking everything.

We got to take him down.

You agree with me.

But you know what?

You don't know.

Maybe I've been sent by Stalin to test your loyalty.

Maybe I'm provoking you to reveal your disloyalty.

Maybe I'm not being sincere.

So instead, you agree with me, but instead of saying, yes, let's do it, immediately you run to Stalin and you say that this Kotkin guy is talking behind your back.